Silk Hope students celebrate D.A.R.E. graduation

Posted Saturday, March 17, 2007

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Silk Hope, NC - Students, parents, and special guests gathered in the Silk Hope multipurpose room to celebrate the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) graduation of fifty-five fifth graders on Thursday, March 15. Among the attendees were Richard Webster, Chatham County Sheriff, and six other officers showing their support for the program.

D.A.R.E. is a program implemented by the Sheriff's Office that teaches students how to handle the temptation of drugs and violence. The D.A.R.E. program is not only observed by local students, but is taught in schools nationwide and in forty-three countries around the world.

Deputy Jennifer Harrell of the Chatham County Sheriff's Office met with the students for five weeks. During that time they used role-play and scenarios to work through real life issues that students may face.

The guest speaker for the program was Hardee Hakutoshi Merritt a third degree black belt in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu. Merritt first impressed the audience with a skit where he demonstrated his martial arts abilities. After capturing the audience's attention he used his "ninja" status to show students how they can become whatever they want in life if they don't let themselves be misguided by others.

After all the students received their certificates from Sheriff Webster for completing the D.A.R.E. program, Deputy Harrell announced the winners of the D.A.R.E. essay contest. The winners were: Guy Smith, Kendall Suits, and Liliana Nava. Each of the writers then read their winning essays. The winners also received honorary pins from Sheriff Webster.

Sheriff Webster spoke about how the goal of D.A.R.E. is to educate students now and keep them on the right track for the future.